The role of information communication technologies as a moderator of knowledge creation and knowledge sharing in improving the quality of healthcare services

This study examines the role of knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and information communication technologies, which are organizational factors that influence the quality of healthcare services. In today’s knowledge-intensive environment, understanding and gaining in-depth knowledge on how to improve the quality of healthcare services is gaining in importance and recognition. Quantitative data collected in 2019 with 151 respondents employed in healthcare organizations was used. Running a series of hierarchical linear regression models, we found a significant positive relationship between knowledge creation and quality of healthcare services, and a significant positive relationship between knowledge sharing and quality of healthcare services. Empirical data additionally provides support for information communication technologies that act as a moderator both in the relationship between knowledge creation and knowledge sharing with quality of healthcare services. With our data, we provide empirical backing for the impact of knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and information communication technologies on the quality of healthcare services that are provided by Montenegrin healthcare organizations. Our paper offers theoretical and practical implications derived from our research study.

sure it is accurate.  The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. NO   which were asked from the participants, were optional. A written introduction, uploaded on a tablet device, has been shown to the participants, prior to the beginning of interviews. It consisted of statements, related to the data collection policy, management of demographic data and the guarantee of anonymity and the cumulative (statistical) reporting of research results.  34 successful knowledge management initiatives [1]. In today's knowledge intensive world of work 35 [2], the concept of knowledge management is becoming increasingly important as a tool that may 36 be vital to a higher level of organizational effectiveness. Ongoing growing importance of and as a tool that enables organizations to make internal improvements [8,9]. 46 Nowadays, the field of healthcare services is continuously exposed to pressures from different  The purpose of our paper is to add to contemporary research, by theoretically proposing a 80 conceptual model and empirically testing the impact of organizational factors that influence 81 knowledge management activities within the healthcare sector as part of the ongoing attempts to 82 enhance the quality of healthcare services [22]. We investigate the relationship between knowledge 83 creation and quality of healthcare services and knowledge transfer and quality of healthcare 84 services. In addition, we explored for the potential moderating effect of information 85 communication technologies on the aforementioned proposed relationships. We utilized a 86 quantitative analysis of collected data from healthcare employees to test our hypotheses in 87 healthcare institutions in Montenegro. As we obtained data for all our variables in a one-time single 88 survey, we acknowledge that common method bias might be a methodological issue in our study.   [34]. The extent to which knowledge creation and knowledge transfer 109 contribute to better treatment outcomes is one of the key information that we seek to obtain. Efforts

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To explore the convergent validity of all items utilized to measure constructs in our research we 270 examined standardized factor loadings [83]. In Table 1, we report the range of our standardized

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Selected descriptive statistics for our measured variables are presented in Table 2   We present a more in-depth analysis of our four models in Table 3. 318 Table 3: Hierarchical regression analysis predicting quality of healthcare services -Models 1-4. We found a significant and positive relationship in model 1, between knowledge creation (β = .60; 322 exact p = .000) and quality of healthcare services. We are able to provide empirical support for H1 323 with our data. In addition, we also found a significant and positive relationship between knowledge 324 transfer (β = .66; exact p = .000) and quality of healthcare services in model 2. Therefore, we are 325 also able to provide empirical support for H2 on the basis of our data. In models 3 and 4 we  has an important impact on improving the quality of healthcare services.

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The results of our conducted research provided empirical support to the third hypothesis.   In spite of the numerous theoretical and practical contributions of our paper, some limitations exist.

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First, the methodological issue of common method bias as revealed by Harman's single factor test

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[73] is present. Second, as our results are based on a sample from only one country, we argue that 475 it would be beneficial to conduct a cross-national study to provide a higher degree of generalization 476 of our findings. Third, we have to take into account the complexity of the healthcare environment, 477 which might negatively influence the responses from our respondents as they are constantly